UKC

Relatively safe routes to approach (little/no crevasse hazard)

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 Roberttaylor 29 Jun 2015
I like climbing easy routes in the alps by myself. What I don't like though is the idea of falling in a slot as I wander towards the start.

I'm happy with things like the Tour Ronde where there is a massive trail that other people walk on, my logic being that if some overweight guy didn't go through at 1700 the day before I am unlikely to go through at 3am. I'm less happy with hidden crevasses of death that nobody ever walks over.

What approaches can people recommend, ideally to decent routes/summits, that don't involve too much/any crevassed ground or that always have a big track in to them?

R
 jon 29 Jun 2015
In reply to Roberttaylor:


> I'm happy with things like the Tour Ronde where there is a massive trail that other people walk on

Google Karine Ruby.
 Mark Haward 29 Jun 2015
In reply to Roberttaylor:

Loads of crevasses in Vallee Blanche, not the best place despite the apparent paths.
Not sure what you define by easy but I have soloed the following:
Gouter route up Mont Blanc. Some crevasses very high up but as long as tackled whilst conditions up and down still cold you should be ok - but no guarantee!
Normal route on the Moine - some scrambling / easy rock climbing and a short section of snowfield with some small slots.
Traverse of the Crochues - some easy climbing
OP Roberttaylor 02 Jul 2015
In reply to jon:

I heard about this after I did the TR, it did make me think.

It's the one thing I dislike about the Mt Blanc area, the fact you need a partner to get to the climbs.

Cheers Mark. I've done the Moine, not that interested in the Gouter other than as a descent.
mysterion 02 Jul 2015
In reply to Roberttaylor:

Alphubel from Tasch hut via Alphubeljoch could be one. Soloed by someone I met who was at a loose end, the glacier had a track visible from several miles away at Gornergrat as I recall.
 jcw 07 Jul 2015
In reply to Roberttaylor:

If my memory serves me aright Besso could be worthwhile. I soloed up the SW Ridge but the traverse was snowed up so came back down the ordinary route which has a lot of loose stuff on. It. Magnificent views. Long hut walk but beautiful.
 Robert Durran 07 Jul 2015
In reply to mysterion:


> Alphubel from Tasch hut via Alphubeljoch could be one. Soloed by someone I met who was at a loose end, the glacier had a track visible from several miles away at Gornergrat as I recall.

Descending from the Alphubeljoch to the Tasch hut unroped and alone is the most scared I've ever been on a crevassed glacier. I remember crawling over bridges to try to spread my weight. Earlier in the day soloing some pile of choss up a rock rib on the west face which came highly recommended in the guidebook on the west is the most scared I've been climbing solo! But that was twenty five years ago and things change year by year - for this reason and because of the fact that I wouldn't want to risk feeling in any way responsible for the OP's death, I wouldn't personally recommend going unroped on any particular wet glacier. Having said that, I used to do it myself very regularly when I was young and brave/stupid................. The OP should come to his own conclusions and remain totally flexible on the day. Obviously some glaciers are generally going to be much safer than others.

 jon 07 Jul 2015
In reply to Robert Durran:

> > Soloed by someone I met who was at a loose end

> Descending from the Alphubeljoch to the Tasch hut unroped and alone is the most scared I've ever been on a crevassed glacier.

Maybe he meant 'Soiled ...'
 David Rose 07 Jul 2015
In reply to Roberttaylor:
The Fletschhorn and the S ridge of the Weissmies at Saas would fit the bill (you would have to descent the Weissmies by the same route, not traverse via the crevassed north face). If you're looking for something longer, the S Ridge intergrale of the Moine is a much bigger undertaking than the normal route. The Aig Noire S Ridge involves no slots, though involves a pitch or two of V+ and a tricky descent. The Peigne - just about everything - would be ok.

Also the Meije SE ridge or S face - so long as you don't attempt the traverse and N face descent. The Aig. Dibona. The Pointe des Cineastes. All in the Ecrins. Most of the Bregaglia and Dolomites would be fine. The Eiger Mittellegi Ridge, followed by SW flank descent.

PS don't even think about the Vallee Blanche, whatever the time of day. I once fell into a slot at 3 am IN WINTER. It was completely invisible, covered with snow, on a "good" track. I was on the way to the Lafaille Couloir, unroped because my partner had skis and I didn't. I was very lucky - I had my axe in my hand, whacked it into good neve as my chest hit the lip of the terrifying black hole and pulled myself out. Very scary indeed.
Post edited at 13:15
 GridNorth 07 Jul 2015
In reply to Roberttaylor:

> I'm happy with things like the Tour Ronde where there is a massive trail that other people walk on, my logic being that if some overweight guy didn't go through at 1700 the day before I am unlikely to go through at 3am.

I'm afraid you are suffering from a condition called "blissful ignorance". This is usually cured, assuming you live long enough, by having a scary experience that disabuses you of any misplaced preconceptions that you may have held.

If we are talking Cham your best bet is to stick to rock routes well below 4000 metres. Summits on the Aig.Rouge give some magnificent views of the range and are easy access.

 jcw 07 Jul 2015
In reply to Robert Durran:

Glad to see you concur with me about the wretched Rotgrat: I call it the Grotgrat.
 jon 07 Jul 2015
In reply to jcw:

Rotgrot?
 jcw 07 Jul 2015
In reply to GridNorth and Roberttaylor:
And if that is true for Chamonix it is twice as true for Zermatt: we put our feet through holes 13 times doing the round trip from the Gandegg hut when doing the Younggrat
 jcw 07 Jul 2015
In reply to jon:

Yes, I rather like that too
 Robert Durran 07 Jul 2015
In reply to jcw:

> Glad to see you concur with me about the wretched Rotgrat: I call it the Grotgrat.

It wasn't the Rotgrat (which nearly killed my uncle!). It was the West Ridge of North Summit, AD+, to the Rotgrat's left, described in the 1975 AC Pennine Alps East as "one of the best rock climbs of its standard in the Mischabel Chain". It was awful: steep unstable gravel interspersed with short, steeper, loose pitches.
 jon 07 Jul 2015
In reply to Robert Durran:

> steep unstable gravel interspersed with short, steeper, loose pitches.

That goes nicely with the usual meteo of 'periods of heavy rain between showers'.

 jcw 07 Jul 2015
In reply to Robert Durran:

It says the rock is nice, though they have a curious way of spelling it!

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